Four More Hogs Qualify at the Tyson Invitation

BY ANDRES FOCIL

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – University of Arkansas qualified four more athletes on Friday at the Tyson Invitational at the Randal Tyson Track Center. This was the last meet for the Hogs before the SEC Championships on Feb. 24-25 in Lexington, Ky.

“We are getting better but it is still not good enough,” UA assistant coach Dick Booth said. “We need some more guys to qualify and we were hoping that today would be the day. We are going to have to improve.”

Sophomore Kevin Baker won his preliminary heat in the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.82 and moved on to the finals where he finished fourth in 6.75 seconds, a new career best.

The Razorbacks gained their first provisional qualifier when sophomore Richard Smith finished in third place in the long jump setting a new career best with a leap of 24-11 in his first jump of the night.

In the 800-meter run, freshman Chris Mulvaney provisionally qualified with a time of 1:49.69. Andy Beasley finished seventh in the 800 meters in 1:51.58.

Freshman Maurice Robinson improved on his provisional qualifying mark in the triple jump from the SEC Quad meet with a leap of 52-2. LSU’s Walter Davis set a new Randal Tyson Track Center record in the triple jump with a leap of 55-10.25.

Murray Link became the second Razorback to provisionally qualify for two events, joining Daniel Lincoln, as his 14:13.74 in the 5,000-meter run. Andrew Begley, who was running in his first meet of the season, finished in fifth-place with a time of 14:27.01. Three more Razorbacks competed in the 5,000-meters with Alan Dunleavy in 10th (14:36.65), Fernando Cabada in 11th (14:44.62) and Phil Yoder in 12th (14:52.73). —

“It was my first time to run the 5,000-meter this year and I wanted it to be my only time,” Link said. “I was looking to qualify in two events but it was still not good enough.”

In the last event of the night, freshman P.J. Brown set a new career high in the pole vault clearing 16-11.

Competition continues on Saturday, Feb.10, as the Randal Tyson Track Center and the University of Arkansas will serve as hosts for a stop on the USA Track and Field’s Golden Spike Tour. Action begins at 12:30 p.m. CST. Razorbacks competing on Saturday include Kenny Evans in the high jump, Chris Mulvaney, Dirk Heinze and Sharif Karie in the mile run and Daniel Lincoln and Ryan Travis in the 3,000-meters.